Spies Like Us: Screening Cold War Espionage

VMS 258

When the Cold War erupted in the wake of World War II, filmmakers were poised to screen it as propaganda, entertainment (thriller, horror, science fiction), and morally reflective realism. This course explores the films/television series produced on both sides of the Iron Curtain as well as those made after the Cold War (post-1989). Discussion will focus on ethical justifications and critiques of espionage; the characterizations of the spy and those spied on, and the interactions between these protagonists; and the changing aesthetics of screening espionage.
Curriculum Codes
  • CCI
  • EI
  • ALP
  • CZ
Cross-Listed As
  • CINE 274
  • ICS 262
  • LIT 225
  • SES 270
Typically Offered
Fall and/or Spring